Epic fantasy

  • · · ·

    Winter’s Web — a brand-new Elemental Assassin novella — to appear in Seasons of Sorcery fantasy anthology …

    2 Comments

    I’m pleased to announce that Winter’s Web, a brand-new Elemental Assassin novella, will appear in the Seasons of Sorcery fantasy anthology on Nov. 13. Woot! 🙂

    The anthology also features novellas by Amanda Bouchet, Grace Draven, and Jeffe Kennedy. Isn’t the cover gorgeous? It was created by the awesome Ravven.

    SEASONS OF SORCERY EBOOK:

    Amazon Kindle Barnes & Noble Nook Kobo

    You can pre-order the anthology for $4.99. On release day, Tuesday, Nov. 13, the price goes up to $5.99.

    The anthology will also be available on Apple Books and Google Play (I think). There will also be print versions available through Amazon. I’ll share all those links as soon as they are online.

    SEASONS OF SORCERY DESCRIPTION:

    WINTER’S WEB BY JENNIFER ESTEP
    An assassin at a renaissance faire. What could possibly go wrong? Everything, if you’re Gin Blanco. This Spider is trapped in someone else’s icy web—and it seems like they don’t want her to leave the faire alive . . .

    A CURSE FOR SPRING BY AMANDA BOUCHET
    A malevolent spell strangles the kingdom of Leathen in catastrophic drought. Prince Daric must break the curse before his people starve. A once-mighty goddess trapped in a human body might be the key—but saving his kingdom could mean losing all that he loves.

    THE DRAGONS OF SUMMER BY JEFFE KENNEDY
    As unofficial consort to the High Queen, former mercenary Harlan Konyngrr faces a challenge worse than looming war and fearsome dragons. His long-held secrets threaten what he loves most—and he must make a choice between vows to two women.

    A WILDERNESS OF GLASS BY GRACE DRAVEN
    The stretch of sea known as The Gray rules the lives of those in the village of Ancilar, including widow Brida Gazi. In the aftermath of an autumn storm, Brida discovers one of the sea’s secrets cast onto the shore—a discovery that will change her world, mend her soul, and put her in the greatest danger she’s ever faced.

    MORE ABOUT THE SEASONS OF SORCERY ANTHOLOGY

    Note #1: There will NOT be an audiobook version of the anthology.

    Note #2: Winter’s Web is Elemental Assassin #17.5, so it takes place after the events of Venom in the Veins, book #17.

    Note #3: I will be releasing Winter’s Web as an individual ebook later on, but I hope that folks will check out the anthology. I think readers will enjoy the fantasy novellas by all the authors.

    LONGER WINTER’S WEB DESCRIPTION:

    An assassin at a renaissance faire. What could possibly go wrong? Everything, if you’re the Spider . . .

    I might be Gin Blanco, aka the assassin the Spider, but even I need a break from the bad guys every now and then. So when Owen Grayson, my significant other, suggests a trip to the Winter’s Web Renaissance Faire, it sounds like a perfect distraction from all my problems.

    The faire starts off innocently enough, but something seems slightly off about the cheery atmosphere and costumed characters. Maybe I’m being paranoid, but I can’t help but feel like I’m trapped in someone else’s icy web—and that they don’t want me to leave the faire alive . . .

    Note: Winter’s Web is a 27,000-word novella that takes place after the events of Venom in the Veins, book 17 in the Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series. Winter’s Web first appeared in the Seasons of Sorcery anthology in 2018.

  • · · ·

    Kill the Queen, Crown of Shards #1, available now!

    Kill the Queen, book #1 in my Crown of Shards epic fantasy series, has been published today, Oct. 2. Woot! Woot! 🙂

    I’m so excited to finally be able to share the book with readers, I hope that everyone enjoys getting to know Evie and the other characters in Kill the Queen.

    GET THE EBOOK

    Amazon Kindle B&N Nook Google Play Apple Books Kobo

    GET THE PRINT BOOK

    Amazon print B&N print Books-A-Million IndieBound

    GET THE AUDIOBOOK

    Amazon audiobook Audible audiobook Google Play Kobo LibroAmazon MP3 CD

    Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe in Asheville, N.C. is offering signed copies of Kill the Queen, Crown of Shards #1. Malaprop’s is the ONLY BOOKSTORE offering signed copies. 

    ORDER A SIGNED COPY OF KILL THE QUEEN

    Fun fact: Lauren Fortgang, who narrates the audiobooks for my Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series, will also be the narrator for Kill the Queen. I know many of you guys love Lauren’s narration, and I’m excited to hear how she brings Evie and all the other Kill the Queen characters to life. You can get a sneak peak at Lauren’s narration by clicking on the SoundCloud excerpt box below:

    It’s a trilogy: As of right now, there will be three books in my Crown of Shards series. Protect the Prince, book #2, will probably be out in summer 2019. I’ll share more information about that book as it becomes available

    Epic fantasy: I’ve gotten some questions about the book genre. Kill the Queen is adult epic fantasy — NOT YA fantasy.

    There is sex, language, and violence in Kill the Queen, just like there is in my Elemental Assassin series.

    That being said, if you like my YA books, especially my Mythos Academy series, you will probably enjoy this one too. There are some nods to Roman, Norse, and other mythologies in the book, but this is much more of an adult read than my YA series. And like all my other books/series, Kill the Queen features a strong heroine, lots of action/fight scenes, a hint of romance, and magic/worldbuilding, among other things.

    Book description: And here is the book description.

    The thrilling first novel of the Crown of Shards epic fantasy series combines magic, murder, and adventure when a member of the royal family becomes a contender in a clash for the crown… 

    In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.

    But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.

    Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of war, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future—or if she even has one—Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.

    But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself . . . and kill the queen.

    In other words: I’m pitching the book as Gladiator meets Game of Thrones with a kickass heroine.

    PRAISE FOR THE BOOK

    KILL THE QUEEN is the definition of epic fantasy: exciting, original, and filled with characters who jump off the page. Jennifer Estep enters the arena and takes no prisoners. Long live the Winter Queen. — Ilona Andrews #1 New York Times bestselling author

    KILL THE QUEEN rocked my world! With court intrigue, a cast of fantastic characters, epic political sweep, and a slow-burn romance to die for, this book had me rapt. I only regret I devoured it so fast. And that I didn’t write it. More please! — Jeffe Kennedy, RITA® Award winning author of The Pages of the Mind

    Jennifer Estep takes the world of high fantasy by storm with a book so perfectly plotted and executed that I gasped out loud at each new reveal and unexpected turn. Evie is the heroine we all want to read about: as compassionate as she is ruthless, as cunning as she is kind, and as fierce and focused as anyone must be in order to KILL THE QUEEN.
    — Amanda Bouchet, USA Today bestselling author of The Kingmaker Chronicles
     
    Read the first chapter: To read the first chapter, go here, scroll down, and click on the Read Excerpt tab.
     
    I hope that everyone enjoys the book. Happy reading and listening! 🙂
  • · ·

    Pre-order Kill the Queen, Crown of Shards #1 …

    Don’t forget to pre-order for Kill the Queen, coming Oct. 2. This is the first book in my Crown of Shards epic fantasy series.

    Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe in Asheville, N.C. is offering signed copies of Kill the Queen, Crown of Shards #1. Woot!

    CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER YOUR SIGNED COPY OF KILL THE QUEEN

    Malaprop’s is the ONLY BOOKSTORE offering signed copies. Kill the Queen will be out on Oct. 2, so get your pre-order in ASAP.

    PRE-ORDER THE EBOOK

    Amazon Kindle B&N Nook Google Play iBooks Kobo

    PRE-ORDER THE PRINT BOOK

    Amazon print B&N print Books-A-Million IndieBound

    PRE-ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK

    Amazon audiobook Audible audiobook Google Play Kobo LibroAmazon MP3 CD

    Fun fact: Lauren Fortgang, who narrates the audiobooks for my Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series, will also be the narrator for Kill the Queen. I know many of you guys love Lauren’s narration, and I’m excited to hear how she brings Evie and all the other Kill the Queen characters to life. You can get a sneak peak at Lauren’s narration by clicking on the SoundCloud excerpt box below:

    Epic fantasy: I’ve gotten some questions about the book genre. Kill the Queen is adult epic fantasy — NOT YA fantasy.

    There is sex, language, and violence in Kill the Queen, just like there is in my Elemental Assassin series.

    That being said, if you like my YA books, especially my Mythos Academy series, you will probably enjoy this one too. There are some nods to Roman, Norse, and other mythologies in the book, but this is much more of an adult read than my YA series. And like all my other books/series, Kill the Queen features a strong heroine, lots of action/fight scenes, a hint of romance, and magic/worldbuilding, among other things.

    Book description: And here is the book description.

    The thrilling first novel of the Crown of Shards epic fantasy series combines magic, murder, and adventure when a member of the royal family becomes a contender in a clash for the crown… 

    In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.

    But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.

    Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of war, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future—or if she even has one—Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.

    But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself . . . and kill the queen.

    In other words: I’m pitching the book as Gladiator meets Game of Thrones with a kickass heroine.

    PRAISE FOR THE BOOK

    KILL THE QUEEN is the definition of epic fantasy: exciting, original, and filled with characters who jump off the page. Jennifer Estep enters the arena and takes no prisoners. Long live the Winter Queen. — Ilona Andrews #1 New York Times bestselling author

    KILL THE QUEEN rocked my world! With court intrigue, a cast of fantastic characters, epic political sweep, and a slow-burn romance to die for, this book had me rapt. I only regret I devoured it so fast. And that I didn’t write it. More please! — Jeffe Kennedy, RITA® Award winning author of The Pages of the Mind

    Jennifer Estep takes the world of high fantasy by storm with a book so perfectly plotted and executed that I gasped out loud at each new reveal and unexpected turn. Evie is the heroine we all want to read about: as compassionate as she is ruthless, as cunning as she is kind, and as fierce and focused as anyone must be in order to KILL THE QUEEN.
    — Amanda Bouchet, USA Today bestselling author of The Kingmaker Chronicles
     
    Read the first chapter: To read the first chapter, go here, scroll down, and click on the Read Excerpt tab.
     
    I hope that everyone enjoys the book when it is released. Happy reading and listening! 🙂
  • · · ·

    Pre-order a signed copy of KILL THE QUEEN from Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe …

    Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe in Asheville, N.C. is offering signed copies of Kill the Queen, Crown of Shards #1. Woot!

    CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER YOUR SIGNED COPY OF KILL THE QUEEN

    Malaprop’s is the ONLY BOOKSTORE offering signed copies. Kill the Queen will be out on Oct. 2, so get your pre-order in ASAP.

    You can also pre-order the book in ebook and audiobook formats:

    PRE-ORDER THE EBOOK

    Amazon Kindle B&N Nook Google Play iBooks Kobo

    PRE-ORDER THE PRINT BOOK

    Amazon print B&N print Books-A-Million IndieBound

    PRE-ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK

    Amazon audiobook Audible audiobook Google Play Kobo LibroAmazon MP3 CD

    Fun fact: Lauren Fortgang, who narrates the audiobooks for my Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series, will also be the narrator for Kill the Queen. I know many of you guys love Lauren’s narration, and I’m excited to hear how she brings Evie and all the other Kill the Queen characters to life. You can get a sneak peak at Lauren’s narration by clicking on the SoundCloud excerpt box below:

    Epic fantasy: I’ve gotten some questions about the book genre. Kill the Queen is adult epic fantasy — NOT YA fantasy.

    There is sex, language, and violence in Kill the Queen, just like there is in my Elemental Assassin series.

    That being said, if you like my YA books, especially my Mythos Academy series, you will probably enjoy this one too. There are some nods to Roman, Norse, and other mythologies in the book, but this is much more of an adult read than my YA series. And like all my other books/series, Kill the Queen features a strong heroine, lots of action/fight scenes, a hint of romance, and magic/worldbuilding, among other things.

    Book description: And here is the book description.

    The thrilling first novel of the Crown of Shards epic fantasy series combines magic, murder, and adventure when a member of the royal family becomes a contender in a clash for the crown… 

    In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.

    But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.

    Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of war, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future—or if she even has one—Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.

    But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself . . . and kill the queen.

    In other words: I’m pitching the book as Gladiator meets Game of Thrones with a kickass heroine.

    PRAISE FOR THE BOOK

    KILL THE QUEEN is the definition of epic fantasy: exciting, original, and filled with characters who jump off the page. Jennifer Estep enters the arena and takes no prisoners. Long live the Winter Queen. — Ilona Andrews #1 New York Times bestselling author

    KILL THE QUEEN rocked my world! With court intrigue, a cast of fantastic characters, epic political sweep, and a slow-burn romance to die for, this book had me rapt. I only regret I devoured it so fast. And that I didn’t write it. More please! — Jeffe Kennedy, RITA® Award winning author of The Pages of the Mind

    Jennifer Estep takes the world of high fantasy by storm with a book so perfectly plotted and executed that I gasped out loud at each new reveal and unexpected turn. Evie is the heroine we all want to read about: as compassionate as she is ruthless, as cunning as she is kind, and as fierce and focused as anyone must be in order to KILL THE QUEEN.
    — Amanda Bouchet, USA Today bestselling author of The Kingmaker Chronicles
     
    Read the first chapter: To read the first chapter, go here, scroll down, and click on the Read Excerpt tab.
     
    I hope that everyone enjoys the book when it is released. Happy reading and listening! 🙂
  • · · ·

    Listen to an audiobook excerpt for Kill the Queen, Crown of Shards #1, Oct. 2 …

    2 Comments

    I’m thrilled to announce that the awesome Lauren Fortgang will be the narrator for the Kill the Queen audiobook. Woot! Get a sneak peak at Lauren’s narration by clicking on the SoundCloud excerpt box below:

    Doesn’t Lauren’s narration sound great? Lauren also narrates the audiobooks for my Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series, and I’m excited to hear how she brings Evie and all the other Kill the Queen characters to life. 🙂

    PRE-ORDER THE AUDIOBOOK:

    Amazon audiobook Audible audiobook Google Play Kobo LibroAmazon MP3 CD

    PRE-ORDER THE EBOOK:

    Amazon Kindle B&N Nook Google Play iBooks Kobo

    PRE-ORDER THE PRINT BOOK:

    Amazon print B&N print Books-A-Million IndieBound

    Epic fantasy: I’ve gotten some questions about the book genre. Kill the Queen is adult epic fantasy — NOT YA fantasy.

    There is sex, language, and violence in Kill the Queen, just like there is in my Elemental Assassin series.

    That being said, if you like my YA books, especially my Mythos Academy series, you will probably enjoy this one too. There are some nods to Roman, Norse, and other mythologies in the book, but this is much more of an adult read than my YA series. And like all my other books/series, Kill the Queen features a strong heroine, lots of action/fight scenes, a hint of romance, and magic/worldbuilding, among other things.

    Book description: And here is the book description.

    The thrilling first novel of the Crown of Shards epic fantasy series combines magic, murder, and adventure when a member of the royal family becomes a contender in a clash for the crown… 

    In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.

    But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.

    Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of war, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future—or if she even has one—Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.

    But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself . . . and kill the queen.

    In other words: I’m pitching the book as Gladiator meets Game of Thrones with a kickass heroine.

    PRAISE FOR THE BOOK

    KILL THE QUEEN is the definition of epic fantasy: exciting, original, and filled with characters who jump off the page. Jennifer Estep enters the arena and takes no prisoners. Long live the Winter Queen. — Ilona Andrews #1 New York Times bestselling author

    KILL THE QUEEN rocked my world! With court intrigue, a cast of fantastic characters, epic political sweep, and a slow-burn romance to die for, this book had me rapt. I only regret I devoured it so fast. And that I didn’t write it. More please! — Jeffe Kennedy, RITA® Award winning author of The Pages of the Mind

    Jennifer Estep takes the world of high fantasy by storm with a book so perfectly plotted and executed that I gasped out loud at each new reveal and unexpected turn. Evie is the heroine we all want to read about: as compassionate as she is ruthless, as cunning as she is kind, and as fierce and focused as anyone must be in order to KILL THE QUEEN.
    — Amanda Bouchet, USA Today bestselling author of The Kingmaker Chronicles
     
    Read the first chapter: To read the first chapter, go here, scroll down, and click on the Read Excerpt tab.
     
    I hope that everyone enjoys the audiobook when it is released. Happy listening! 🙂